Violence in community really is everybody's problem

June 22, 2006|TIM HOGAN

In response to the editorial board's May 17 opinion, "Everbody's problem": I feel that the members of the board hit the nail directly on its head. The board felt that it was important to be frank, so I will be. Assaults, robberies, shootings and other types of violence have been an increasing problem in our community over the past several years. I do not feel that the recent shootings are so much out of vengefulness as much as they are out of simply not knowing how to settle conflicts without killing for revenge or not having the patience to work to buy whatever they want. This is why I feel that the topics suggested by the editorial board, which include public education, parenting, law enforcement and guns, are key elements in turning our society around. Every time a teen gets into trouble opinions come out of the woodwork, mostly directed at bad parenting skills. I refuse to believe, as some of the opinions suggest, that any parent would encourage a child to rob, shoot or kill another human being. Children sometimes allow what parents tell them to fall on deaf ears. Then they go out and for whatever reason, whether it be peer pressure or unwise choices, do things that can affect not only their lives but the lives of a lot of innocent people. Will the topics suggested by the board be addressed by the community? Let's be real. I certainly do not wish for this to be a race issue. However, in most of the serious cases in our area that have made headline news in the last several years, most of the suspects have been young black males, including one of my own family members. Obviously, addressing the suggested topics will cost money. Can our city government, which is already operating on a tight budget, find the money necessary to make this happen? If not, how do we raise the money? I'm a 41-year-old black male. I attend church on a regular basis, work every day, pay taxes and I'm raising a family in a nice neighborhood. However, it's not unusual for me to walk into the store parking lot and have the lady walking towards me tighten the grip on her purse or turn and go the other way. Or, if I'm waiting for an elevator, the couple waiting with me will say "go ahead we'll take the next one." There have even been times that I've been pulled over by the cops because my "vehicle looks suspicious." While the latter situation has not happened to me in several years, the two previously mentioned situations happen all the time. I don't blame these residents or the police officers for exercising caution; it's just frustrating that so many people perceive black males in such a negative way regardless of how we look or how we're dressed. There are bad apples in every batch. Black, white, male and female. I pray that our teens and young adults think about the consequences of their actions before commiting crimes and seeking revenge. It not only affects their lives but so many more. Young people should remember that even hanging out with the wrong people in the wrong places at the wrong times can land them downtown in front of judges who are handing out 50- and 100-year sentences and even life sentences like they're candy. It's not worth it. So to all the young people out there, continue to make wise choices and bring pride, not heartache, to your family. Becoming one of the dreadful statistics mentioned above is not worth it. You have too much to live for. Tim Hogan lives in South Bend.